Norfolk Annals
Chapter 66 : 8.-At a special court of the Corporation of Guardians, Norwich, Mr. Roger Kerrison, sol

8.-At a special court of the Corporation of Guardians, Norwich, Mr. Roger Kerrison, solicitor, was elected clerk in the room of Mr. William Simpson, resigned.

-Died at Holkham, aged 90, William Jones, for upwards of 50 years huntsman and princ.i.p.al stable servant in the c.o.ke family. "On his death-bed he was seen by Mr. c.o.ke, who took with him the young heir of Holkham, to shake his faithful old servant by the hand. Lady Anne c.o.ke, Lady Anson, and all the family at Holkham showed every possible kindness and attention to the venerable and much-respected old man."

11.-A serious poaching affray took place in Heydon Woods between a band of 25 poachers and about 20 keepers and watchers. The Hon. George Edwards (a son of Lord Kensington), who accompanied the keepers, was knocked down by a stone, and shot while upon the ground. At the Norfolk a.s.sizes, held at Thetford on March 26th, 1827, before Mr. Justice Gaselee, 13 persons were indicted in connection with the affair.

Sentences of death pa.s.sed upon them were commuted to terms of transportation.

12.-Mr. Isaac Preston was elected Steward of Norwich in room of Mr.

Robert Alderson, appointed Recorder.

14.-A meeting of the Hundred of Eynsford was held at the Swan Inn, Reepham, at which it was decided to pet.i.tion Parliament against any alteration in the Corn Laws. Similar pet.i.tions were adopted by almost every Hundred in the county.

17.-The depot of the 40th Regiment of Foot marched from Norwich for Bradford.

1827.

JANUARY.

6.-Mons. Louis, a native of Lorraine, 26 years of age, seven feet six inches in height, was exhibited at the Angel Inn, Norwich.

7.-Intelligence was received in Norwich of the death of H.R.H. the Duke of York, and the great bell of St. Peter Mancroft, and the bells of other churches in the city, were tolled for two hours. On Sat.u.r.day, the 13th, the day of the funeral, "all the shops in Norwich were kept as closely shut as on the Sabbath"; the Mayor and Corporation attended service at the Cathedral; and funeral sermons were preached at many of the parish churches and city chapels.

11.-A meeting of the Norfolk Cricket Club was held at Norwich, when rules were adopted. It was agreed to play four matches during the year, one on each of the four grounds to be established by the club in the neighbourhood of Norwich, Yarmouth, Swaffham, and Gunton. Rule 20 provided that members, clergymen excepted, should wear at the annual meetings the uniform dress-"a dark blue coat with b.u.t.tons lettered 'N.C.C.,' with white waistcoat, &c." Mr. Philip Gurdon, of Letton, was elected treasurer.

12.-A bull driven along St. Martin's Street, Norwich, entered the Bess of Bedlam public-house, and rus.h.i.+ng upstairs made its way into a room where a musical party was held. The animal was dislodged with great difficulty.

-At a meeting of the county magistrates the question of the conduct of business was discussed. Several magistrates resisted the idea that the public had a right to claim admission, and it was agreed that the proceedings be read in the lower court at the close of each meeting, and "such of them as appeared advisable be advertised in the newspapers."

13.-Very severe weather was experienced in Norfolk. The thermometer on this date registered 14 degrees below freezing point. A heavy fall of snow on the 15th impeded coach traffic in the neighbourhood of Swaffham.

"Many hundreds of rabbits perished in the Thetford and Brandon districts through being out in search of food and unable to find their burrows again."

26.-A severe storm occurred on the Norfolk coast. Four vessels drove from their anchors and stranded on Yarmouth beach; and a brig was wrecked on Happisburgh sands. The whole of her crew perished.

29.-On November 28th, 1826, three candidates were nominated for the office of City Chamberlain at Norwich, of whom Mr. James Goodwin had the majority in the Court of Aldermen and Mr. Beckwith in the Common Council.

The a.s.sembly broke up without electing the Chamberlain. On January 29th a special meeting of the Corporation was held in consequence of the Mayor having received notice that a rule of the Court of King's Bench would be applied for requiring them to shew cause why a writ of _mandamus_ should not issue commanding them to admit and swear Mr. Goodwin into the office of Chamberlain and other offices. It was ordered that cause be shown.

On February 10th the Court of King's Bench discharged the rule _nisi_.

At a special meeting of the Corporation on March 9th, the Town Clerk reported on the result of the motion, and Mr. A. A. H. Beckwith was then unanimously elected Chamberlain, and Mr. John Skipper Speaker of the Common Council, in place of Mr. Beckwith. A new Council was elected in April, and at a special a.s.sembly on May 16th, Mr. Beckwith was requested to leave the room. The Speaker, Mr. J. S. Parkinson (who had been elected in place of Mr. Skipper), declined to recognise Mr. Beckwith as Chamberlain. Mr. Goodwin was then proposed, and elected to the office.

At a Council meeting on June 7th, Mr. Beckwith took his seat as Chamberlain, and was asked to retire; he refused, and the beadle was called in. Mr. Beckwith, addressing that officer, said, "I give you notice, if you lay your hands on me you do so at your peril." One of the members remarked that if the beadle did not turn him out they would. Mr.

Beckwith was then led out by the beadle, and the incident terminated.

FEBRUARY.

2.-A fine specimen of the sea eagle (_falco ossifragus_) was shot near Fritton Decoy. It measured from tip to tip of its wings seven feet nine inches, and was presented to the Norwich Museum.

5.-Four thousand weavers met at Ranelagh Gardens, Norwich, and pa.s.sed resolutions protesting against the action of certain manufacturers in reducing the rate of wages without consulting other employers, and requesting the Mayor to summon a meeting of the masters to shew cause why the reduction had been made. On the 12th a procession of 600 operatives, headed by a man carrying a loaf of bread draped in black c.r.a.pe, pa.s.sed through the streets of the city. A pet.i.tion to Parliament was prepared, in favour of an Act to regulate the price of labour. The pet.i.tion was presented in the House of Commons on May 30th, by Mr. William Smith.

12.-The last stage of the agitation for making Norwich a port was commenced on this date, when Major Peel presented a pet.i.tion in the House of Commons from the Mayor, Aldermen, and inhabitants of Norwich in favour of the Norwich and Lowestoft Navigation Bill. The Bill having been read a second time, entered the Committee stage on February 21st, when Mr.

Alderson opened the case on behalf of the promoters; the examination of their witnesses concluded on Feb. 27th. The case for the opposition was commenced on the same day, and the evidence concluded on March 7th. In the division on the question "that the preamble of this Bill is proved,"

there were 25 ayes and 5 noes. Peals were rung on the church bells at Norwich when intelligence was received, on March 8th, that the Bill had pa.s.sed through Committee, and Mr. Crisp Brown, on his return from London, on the 9th, was met at St. Stephen's Gates by a large number of citizens, who, headed by a band of music, drew his carriage to his residence in King Street. On March 11th the Bill was reported to the House, and on the 22nd it was read a third time and pa.s.sed. On the same evening it was read a first time in the House of Lords; it pa.s.sed its second reading on March 26th, and was referred to Committee, who took evidence on May 7th, and on the 22nd it was read a third time and carried without opposition.

The news of the final success of the measure was received in Norwich with great rejoicing. On the 23rd a procession was organized to meet the promoters on their arrival from town. The Times coach, by which they travelled, was met at Harford Bridges, and at St. Stephen's Gates the horses were removed from the vehicle, which was dragged in triumph through the city, preceded by bands of music and by men carrying models of s.h.i.+ps and naval emblems. At night a bonfire was lighted in the centre of the Market Place, and was fed with wooden spouts, palings, and watch-boxes. Some of the ringleaders were lodged in clink, but their comrades rescued them and threw the clink doors upon the bonfire. Sheep were roasted in Ber Street and Bishop Street. The Bill received the Royal a.s.sent on May 28th. The first meeting of the proprietors of the Norwich and Lowestoft Navigation Company was held at the Guildhall, on July 3rd, when Col. Harvey presided. Mr. Edmund Newton was appointed clerk, Mr. Cubitt engineer, and Messrs. Harvey and Hudson treasurers.

The work of excavation was begun in the Lowestoft section on September 4th, when Mr. Crisp Brown dug the first spadeful of earth, and a dinner and aquatic sports were held to celebrate the event.

17.-Died at Wymondham, aged 69, Mr. Thomas Troughton, who was Sheriff of Norwich in 1810.

19.-Mr. William Smith, in the House of Commons, presented a pet.i.tion from the inhabitants praying leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the state of the poor in Norwich. The Norwich Court of Guardians Amendment Bill was brought in and read a first time on March 1st. On March 24th it was stated that the promoters of the measure had effected a compromise with the Court of Guardians as to the proportion of representation; persons a.s.sessed 10 and upwards were to have two votes, and those above 5 one vote; the Recorder, Steward, and Aldermen not to be Guardians; the hamlets not to be a.s.sessed on stock, but the proportion of a.s.sessment between them and the city to be five-sixths-_i.e._, when the city was a.s.sessed 1s. the hamlets were to be a.s.sessed 10d. The Bill went through Committee of the House on the 26th, and was reported on the 28th. It was read a first and second time in the House of Lords in April, finally pa.s.sed on May 4th, and received the Royal a.s.sent on May 28th. The first election under the new Act took place on June 11th, and the first meeting of the new Court was held on June 20th, when Mr. Anthony Hudson was elected Governor, and Mr. Joseph Geldart Deputy-Governor.

19.-The _Crim. Con._ case, Sir Jacob Astley, Bart., _v._ Capt. Garth, was tried in the Court of Common Pleas, when a verdict was given for the plaintiff, damages one s.h.i.+lling.

20.-A cricket match was played on the ice at Diss Mere. It commenced at 10 a.m., and was well contested until dusk, in the presence of about 1,500 spectators.

24.*-"Died last week, at Kenninghall, aged 105, Mrs. Sarah Barham."

-"Died at Yarmouth Mr. Nathan Fenn, in his 101st year."

-A detachment of the 12th (Prince of Wales') Royal Lancers marched into Norwich Barracks from Hounslow, under the command of Capt. Cunnyngham.

25.-Died at Norwich, aged 101, Thomas Greenfield, gardener.

26.-Major Peel presented in the House of Commons a pet.i.tion from the Chancellor and Prebendaries of Norwich Cathedral, and from the Archdeacon and clergy of Norfolk, against further concessions to the claims of Roman Catholics.

MARCH.

3.-Died at Costessey Hall, the Rev. Lawrence Strongitharm, aged 31, formerly of the Roman Catholic church, St. John Maddermarket, Norwich.

"To great learning and a highly gifted mind, to the most elegant and refined manners, and to the most powerful and commanding eloquence he added a most fervent and unaffected piety and undying zeal for the furtherance of religion." His remains were interred on the 9th, before the altar in the chapel of St. John Maddermarket.

8.-"Two celebrated amateurs of fas.h.i.+on," the Hon. W. Berkeley and the other "a military man," appeared in the parts of Oth.e.l.lo and Roderigo at Norwich Theatre. They afterwards appeared as Romeo and Mercutio, and in other characters.

9.-Died Adam Burrell, many years carrier between Flitcham and Lynn. "The deceased was rather an eccentric character, and often designated as 'Adam Slow,' as he usually occupied six or seven hours going from Flitcham to Lynn, a distance of about 10 miles. He was, however, a very honest and inoffensive man."

10.-Particulars were published on this date of the Norfolk and Norwich Joint Stock Banking Company, of which Mr. Samuel Bignold was managing director. The capital was advertised as 200,000, and the bank had branches at Lynn, Swaffham, Dereham, Foulsham, and Harling.

17.*-[Advt.] "Marshland Shales. The well-known trotting stallion, Marshland Shales, will be sold by auction on Tombland Fair-day, unless previously disposed of by private contract. This is the horse which on August 3rd, 1810, trotted 17 miles in 56 minutes, carrying 12 st. 2 lb., and was then sold by auction for 305 gs. For particulars apply, if by letter post-paid, to Mr. Moneyment, veterinary surgeon, Norwich."

19.-A large portion of the city wall at Richmond Hill Gardens, Norwich, fell into the Bracondale Road, from the effects of a violent gale on the 17th.

-Died, aged 59, Mr. Edward Dewing, of Guist. He was out hunting with his hounds when he was seized with a fit of apoplexy and dropped from his horse. During a second attack he expired.

22.-Sixty-five prisoners for trial at the Lent a.s.sizes at Thetford were escorted from Norwich Castle to that place by men of the Norfolk Yeomanry Cavalry.

31.*-"Lately died at Wicklewood, Mrs. Mary Spraggs, aged 100."

-*"Died lately, Mrs. Catherine Mann, aged 102."